


THE BOY WITH THE STARS ON HIS HAIR

by StoriesAndMagic



Category: Arashi (Band)
Genre: Fate & Destiny, M/M, Romance, Stars
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-18
Updated: 2020-07-05
Packaged: 2020-09-08 03:43:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 9,323
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20299414
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StoriesAndMagic/pseuds/StoriesAndMagic
Summary: Little Sho and little Jun met during Spring break and connect. But they live apart and have to be separated.Years pass by and Sho becomes an astronomer who hasn't forgotten that Jun boy.Fate brings them together again, but Jun-kun doesn't remember Sho.Sho is in love and will do anything to gain Jun's affection.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> First chapters will be about their meeting as kids. The rest will be adult Jun and Sho.

Spring. With its green valleys and its tall trees and its cherry and plum blossoms and its wisterias and its azaleas and its bamboos and its blue skies and its rainy afternoons. Spring.  
It was little Sho’s favourite season because of all that and because of the school vacation. His parents always took him somewhere to enjoy nature and to learn new things.

He had gotten excellent grades that year, especially in Maths and Science, and he was feeling happy. He wanted to be a great scientist when he grew up and discover things. He wanted to look at the stars and find their secrets.  
\- You have to keep studying and studying. You have the brains. – Sensei had told him and he swore he would manage it.

That spring, he was travelling with his parents to Yakushima. They had booked a hotel there and planned excursions to the forest and to the top of the hills to stargaze. Little Sho was nervous, excitted, he couldn’t wait to arrive to that magical place.

He stepped outside of the car on the coblestones ground and smiled. He looked around: the village was perfect. He could see the ocean like a blue blanket and the forest like a green insect crawling up the hill. A cool breeze was blowing but it wasn’t chilly, the sky had some white clouds but none of them were carrying rain. Little Sho was glad they would have a clear night.

He had a light meal with his parents and, then, was allowed to go outside to explore. Her mother reminded him to be careful, to not get too far from the hotel and to be back for dinner.  
He walked until he reached the borders of the forest but didn’t dare to enter. He tried to identify some of the plants and trees but hadn’t taken his notebook with him so he couldn’t write down his findings. He was sure yosei inhabited that forest and he promised himself he’d venture into it as soon as he could.

When little Sho was tired enough and had picked some weird looking stones, he walked back to the hotel. In front of the gates, a group of kids were playing seek and hide. One of them invited him to play with them but Sho shook his head. He was observing the smaller kid in the group who was laughing uncontrollably. Little Sho found that sound pleasant. The boy looked at him with big eyes like those of a mantis, smiled and fleed away like a little butterfly.

The hotel guide, a tall man named Matsumoto, looked menacing but was polite and nice to the guests. He adviced the Sakurai family on what to wear and what to take with them for the nightly excursion. The Sakurai obeyed and were well equipped when they met with the guide at the hotel hall when darkness was falling over Yakushima.  
The man was bringing along his own kid with him.

\- He loves stargazing. – He said.  
Little Sho saw that it was the small boy from the afternoon and felt glad.

A group of people gathered and followed the guide. They climbed one of the hills under the light of the flashlights while listening carefully to Matsumoto-san’s instructions. When they arrived to the top, the sky was already an spectacle. As Sho had predicted, the night was clear.  
\- We’re fortunate tonight – said Matsumoto-san – There are no clouds and no moon.  
Little Sho couldn’t help but to reply:  
\- That’s not true. The moon is there, only that it is not illuminated by the sun because they are aligned and we can’t see it.  
Sakurai-san scolded her child softly for interrupting but the other people seemed amused.  
The guide snorted and said:  
\- We have a little astronomer here.  
Sho smiled proudly and remained silent for the rest of the speech of the guide.

The Milky Way was visible and Sho could distinguish Jupiter, Venus and Mars. He pointed with his finger to the constellations he knew and mouthed off their names. Matsumoto-san’ son turned his head to look at him and smiled. He had crooked teeth and eyes full of wonder. Sho realised he was sitting in front of him. He felt like speaking to him but they were there to observe the sky.  
When the Matsumoto boy tilted his head upward, his black hair shone under the starlight. Sho wondered if the stars were really in the sky or had fallen on his hair.

He finally approached the boy and told him:  
\- I like Orion constellation the most because he’s the son of the god of the sea.  
The boy giggled and replied:  
\- I like the sea.  
They tried to stiffle their laughter but got shushed by Sakurai-san. Little Sho wished that vacation never ended.

When they returned back to the hotel a few hours later, they congratulated the guide and wished everybody a good night' sleep. Before going to his room with his parents, little Sho ran to the Matsumoto boy and told him:  
\- I’m going to be a great astronomer.  
The kid nodded and said:  
\- I’m going to be Orion!

\- 


	2. Chapter 2

Little Sho woke up at dawn. He was excited for the excursion to the forest that morning. He remained in bed waiting for one of his parents to get up. He kept wondering if that small kid would come with them as well. 

After eating breakfast, he ran outside. The ocean could be seen from the entrance and a big, yellow sun was shining upon it, like a golden garland. Little Sho wished he could live there forever and told so to his parents when they were getting ready for the excursion.  
\- But you have all your friends and school in the city, Sho-chan. You’d feel alone here. – His mother told him.  
He gave it a though and agreed.

Little Sho’s face lit up with the brightest smile when he saw the Matsumoto boy holding his father’s hand. He definitely was coming with them. He asked persmission to his parents and went to the boy’ side to walk with him to the forest.  
\- Have you seen yosei? – Asked Sho.  
The Matsumoto buy shook his head.  
\- Never. But I saw a yurei once.  
Sho gasped.  
\- Weren’t you scared?  
The other boy smiled gently.  
\- Only a bit.  
He hesitated, but finally said:  
\- My name is Jun.  
Sho, then, introduced himself and both boys ended up giggling.

Once inside the woods, the two boys got a little ahead from the adults. Sho couldn’t help but stop in front of every tree and every plant and name them. It was like being in another world: the humidity inside it created mist that penetrated every corner, the rocks were covered in moss near the stream that ran through it. At places, the vegetation was so dense that one couldn’t tell what time of day or night it was. The boys could hear Matsumoto-san’s voice giving explanations to the adults, but they were living their own story.  
They sat on a huge rock by a tall, serpentine tree and remained silent for a while.  
\- There are no sounds. – Uttered Sho.   
Only the gentle burble of the water and some insects’ soft noises.  
\- It’s because yurei scare them away. – Explained Jun.  
Little Sho tapped his shoulder to make him look at him. Those big, brown eyes focused on what he was going to say.  
\- There are no sounds in space either. But there are no yurei there so they can’t scare them away.  
Little Jun winked rapidly:  
\- It must be boring in space if there is no sound.  
Sho tried to illustrate what he knew but Jun started to giggle.  
\- I’m going to be a great astronomer. – He repeated.  
Jun nodded.  
\- Will you show me the stars?  
Sho felt a sudden rush of joy taking over him. Something he couldn’t describe nested in his heart.  
\- We’ll ask our parents to go to the beach tonight! – Sho shouted out.  
Little Jun agreed and started to jump on the rock in celebration.

They raced to where the adults were and continued the excursion. Sho couldn’t focus on anything other than that black, shiny hair.  
They were allowed a brief trip to the beach after dinner. Matsumoto-san was busy as well as the Sakurai who had work related calls to do. So a small, sweet faced woman, appointed herself as the guardian of the kids. She promised them she would leave them alone and would only be there to make sure they were safe.  
\- You’re an intelligent boy, Sho-chan. – She told him after listening to his commentary while they were strolling to the sea. – Jun-kun doesn’t know what he wants to be when he grows up.  
She caressed Jun’s black hair and kissed the top of his head.  
\- He can be anything. – Sho said.  
Jun’s mother nodded.  
\- Enjoy yourselves, boys.  
They ran to the sand while Matsumoto-san kept her distance.

The view was as spectacualr as that on the hill. The dark waters of the ocean reflected the sky and Jun’s hair seemed to have caught all its light.  
Sho pointed at a bright spot more visble than the others.  
\- Can you see it doesn’t sparkle? – He asked excitedly.  
Jun was open mouthed.  
\- It’s because it’s a planet and not a star. It’s Venus.  
Little Sho unconsciously took the smaller boy’s hand and held it. Then, he started to name every object in the sky that he could identify.  
Jun was fascinated and Sho felt so proud of his knowledge.

The future astronomer was aware of the sounds around them: the ocean waves crashing on the shore and the breeze whistling. As if all the sounds in the forest had flown there because they felt secure in this place.  
\- There are no yurei here. – He spoke out loud.  
Jun giggled.   
Without letting go of the small boy’s hand, little Sho signaled up to a certain corner in the sky.  
\- Orion is there, over the sea.  
Little Jun smiled:  
\- I’ll be Orion over the sea when I grow up.


	3. Chapter 3

The rest of the week, Sho-chan and Jun-kun became inseparable. The smaller boy accompanied his father to all the excursions and hang out with Sho and the other children during the evenings after dinner. 

The two boys went chasing butterflies and looking for beetles that little Sho tried to identify. They went to the beach to soak their feet in the ocean and they ended up screaming because the water was still too cold. They played hide and seek and learnt how to fly kites.

Some lazy afternoons, Sho sat down with him and drew the solar system on his notebook to explain it to him. Jun-kun was genuinely interested and the both of them painted the planets in colours. Earth blue, Venus white, Jupiter yellow, Mars red, Neptune green. Mercury grey, etc. Jun asked the future astronomer to keep the drawing and Sho agreed.

The last day arrived. His parents informed Sho they had to leave early in the morning the following day. He packed his suitcase before going for breakfast. He wasn’t hungry, his stomach felt queasy. He barely ate during that day amd kept asking his mother to stay in that place. She told him they had to go back to work and he had to start school, that his friends were waiting for him in Tokyo.

That afternoon, he and Jun-kun ran to the forest. They ventured inside alone.  
\- If we get lost, we can stay here together forever. – Little Sho said.  
Little Jun nodded and smiled exposing his crooked teeth.  
Inside the woods, they climbed rocks, jumped over the stream, hugged the big trees and held hands while walking towards its depth. A few hours had passed when Jun said he was tired and wanted to go back to the hotel with his parents. They managed to return because Sho was excellent at orientation.

After a bath and some rest, Sho-chan went out to dine with his parents. When they walked back to the hotel, the sky was already black and the half moon was observing them.  
Sho didn’t want to say good bye to Jun, but he knew he had to. There wasn’t time for it in the morning so he had to go and see him that night. He asked for permission and then ran in search of him. He found him in one of the gardens near the hotel building. He was alone and told him he was waiting for the fireflies to appear.  
\- But they don’t come out until summer. – Sho replied.  
Little Jun shrugged.  
\- I’ll wait until summer then.  
Sho stared at him and spoke with a shaky voice.  
\- We’ll meet again. I promise.  
Jun-kun sniffled loudly.  
\- Tomorrow, I have to go back to Tokyo with my parents. But come winter break I’ll be back.  
The small boy nodded. The light of the lanterns was reflecting on his black hair and Sho saw the stars there again. He walked closer and reached a hand out to wipe the tears of the small boy but he stopped himself.  
\- Sho-kun – Jun’s voice was low as if he didn’t want to be heard – I’ll be Orion.  
Sho smiled and shook Jun’s hand as if making a deal. Then ran away.

Inside the car, headed to Tokyo, Sho couldn’t stop thinking about those last words. He promised himself he was going to be the greatest astronomer ever and that he was going to return to Yakushima to claim his own Orion.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

25 YEARS LATER.

\- It’s always Orion, isn’t it? – Sakurai Sho asked his colleague at the Tokyo astronomical observatory.  
She looked at him puzzled.  
\- I mean, a new quasar is found and it’s in the Orion constellation.  
\- Nothing weird there when it’s the most prominent constellation in our sky. - She replied uninterested

Mizukawa Asami was a young, attractive woman and a brilliant scientist. She was also one of Sho’s best friends.

He was reading a report on the new discovery while sipping from a hot cup of coffee.  
\- Do I really have to attend that cocktail party? – He asked suddenly.  
She sighed.  
\- Do what you please. But it’s the presentation of a new scientific magazine in which you are going to collaborate so I think it’s in courtesy.

Sho got up of the chair.  
\- I don’t even know what to wear. I’m not good at socialising, Asami, you know it very well.  
\- Wear one of your ugly suits. – She replied.  
Sho liked her because she was direct and sincere, but he hadn’t any interest in her beyond friendship. She was happily married and he preferred men after all.  
He told her how convincing she was being and that he was going to accompany her to the party.

When he finished his shift at the observatory, he put on his old coat and searched something in one of its pockets. He took out a worn piece of paper and looked at it fondly. It was a drawing of a constellation ovet the sea, with big stars and blue waves, made by a ten year old boy. That Matsumoto Jun kid had drawn it with him one spring afternoon many years ago. Sho had never gotten rid of it and always carried it with him. It was like his own charm, it brought him fortune and peace.  
\- It’s always Orion, isn’t it? – He repeated before putting the old piece of paper inside the coat’s pocket.


	4. Chapter 4

She snorted when he saw him, but told him it wasn’t one of his worst oufits. While she was wearing an elegant black gown and her husbnd an expensive design suit, the astronomer had chosen a silvery grey suit  
\- That metallic tone will give cold vibes to the guests, Sakurai. – His friend said – You’re lucky you’re pretty.  
Sho shrugged. He didn’t care about fashion or his appearance, he spent most of his days inside an astronimical observatory or the studio in his house writing scientific articles which nobody read.  
\- You never know who may read them. – Asami replied.

They mingled with the other guests at the party, and when Sho had the chance, he went straight to the table with champagne and food. There, he was ambushed by Hitori-san, the director of the magazine they were premiering.  
\- I’m so proud you’re going to work with us, Sakurai-san. – He told him while bowing excitedly. – We want young blood in the scientific world and you’re one of the best.  
Sho thanked him.  
\- I’m waiting for someone else who is going to be part of our team. I think he’ll be on time. He’s been on one of his expeditions so he wasn’t sure he was able to attend the party.  
Sho drank a whole glass of champagne and nodded. He didn’t care. He didn’t wish to be part of any scientific team.  
\- I received the draft of your first article. – The director continued speaking – The mythology behind Orion constellation is a great theme. It’ll get people interested.  
Sho nodded again and, without realising, he said:  
\- I can write about the Yakushima sky as well.  
The director thought that was an excellent idea and scheduled that for the second issue of the magazine.  
After a few more minutes of conversation, the director finally left him alone and Sho continued tasting the delicatessen offered.

Suddenly, he saw him. He was tall, handsome, well dressed with a blue tuxedo, bowtie included. He looked like a model, he probably was one of the celebrities invited to the party. He had seen him somewhere. He was walking towards him with a kind of strut only kings had. And then he realised. Those big eyes, that black hair, that beautiful face. It was him.  
\- Orion. – He whispered.  
The young man walked past him and Sho could smell the expensive perfume he was wearing. He followed him with his eyes and saw him smiling at some other guest. That samile was the smile of that ten year old boy in Yakushima, despite having those crooked teeth fixed. That laughter was the laughter of that ten year old boy with the stars on his hair.  
\- For Kami’ sake, Sakurai, be more subtle. – Asami was by his side reprimanding him. – He’s nice, but you’re not a teenager anymore.  
Sho looked at her. He was feeling dizzy, maybe he had drunk too much.  
\- It can’t be. – He stuttered.  
Sho looked back towards him, he was speaking to musician Hoshino Gen. That enthusiasm on his face was the same enthusiasm of that ten year old boy he once met. The lights of the hall where the pàrty was taking place were reflecting on his hair and the velvety material of the tuxedo he was wearing, it made him look like a creature of the sea.  
\- Orion. – Sho repeated.

Asami had left and he turned his back to the guests so he couldn’t see the director accompanying the young man to where he was.  
\- I apologise for interrupting you, Sakurai-san, but I want to introduce you to the person I mentioned before.  
Sho turned around. That person was looking straight into his wyes. He wasn’t a ten year old boy anymore but a gorgeous man.  
\- This is speleologist Matsumoto Jun-san-  
Matsumoto Jun-san bowed politely while a stunned Sakurai Sho-san remained still.  
\- I have heard a lot about you. Sakurai-san. Your articles on the solar system are entertaining and interesting.  
He had a deep voice that added to his attractiveness. Awkward ten year old boys only turned into charming princes in Hollywood movies. He wasn’t able to talk.  
\- Speleology, ne? – He finally said – I never thought you would go for that.  
Both the director and Matsumoto-san thought he was a bit weirf. The director excused himself and left them alone.  
\- I like to hide in caves. – Jun told him – It’s a fascinating world. I take it must be as fascinating as the stars.  
Sho drank another glass.  
\- Do you read my articles? – He asked.  
\- I do. I was once interested in astronomy, but I chose our planet instead. The depths of it in particular.  
Sho smiled.  
\- The sea is more your environtment.  
Matsumoto-san looked at him confused.  
\- You don’t remember me, right? – He had gathered enough strenght to ask.  
Jun seemed even more confused.  
\- We met one spring break in Yakushima. Your father was the local guide and we used to go stargazing which you loved. And there was that enchanted forest…..  
Jun raised a hand to stop him from talking more.  
\- You are correct about Yakushima, my father and stargazing. But I met a lot of people while I lived there. I can’t pinpoint anyone in particular. Children came and went, I played with some, but I really can’t remember you. Sumimasen.  
It was as if Orion himself had pierced his heart with his bronze sword. Sho was feeling pain and rejection. He had always been in love with him and now that he finally could reach him, he was falling deeper in love. But he knew nothing of him, years had passed, people changed. While years meant nothing in the vastness of the Universe, years on Earth were steps that send people on opposite directions.  
Jun kept talking about them collaborating on the new magazine but Sho wasn’t really listening. He could only focus on those big, chesnut-coloured eyes that hid the entire universe.  
They finally said goodbye with the promise to meet again and chat. Sho didn’t move from where he was standing. He watched him disappear from the party, not feeling sure if it had been real or a dream.  
Asami came to his rescue.  
\- By that expression on your face, let me guess, he’s already taken?  
Sho looked at her and smiled softly. She knew him too well.  
\- You wouldn’t understand.  
\- Don’t aim so high, Sakurai, sometimes the best options are on the ground. – She had picked her coat and purse and was leaving with his husband.  
Sho shook his head.  
\- Funnily enough, the only option for me is under the ground.  
He let his friends to drive him home.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Jun walked out of the restaurant and down the street towards the park. He had had dinner with the photographer of the magazine to revise the pictures they were going to use in his article. He had decided to walk back to his apartment. It was a moonless night, the perfect night to stargaze. He smiled temembering a cute boy telling him the moon was always in the sky, just that on certain nights, it wasn’t visible due to its rotation. Now that boy was a respected, successful man with the most beautiful eyes he had ever seen.  
\- Orion is down here to hunt you, Sho-chan. – He looked up at the sky. His plan to conquer the heart of the elusice astronomer had just started.


	5. Chapter 5

He was sitting at his desk in his small office inside the Observatory, his laptop open and ready, but he was unable to type anything. His mind couldn’t focus, his brain was in another place in another time. He could only think about those gorgeous eyes looking at his without remembering, about that softness and innocence that still contained. He had missed those eyes for years and now that they were back, he felt an emptiness impossible to fill.  
His phone buzzed, he answered it half-heartedly. It was the director of the magazine, Hitori-san. He hanged up after a brief conversation and a ‘I’ll think about it’ and walked out of his office to the coffee machine. There, he joined Asami. She frowned when she saw him.  
\- Somebody died? – She asked mockingly.  
\- Somebody died? – She asked mockingly.  
\- Hitori-san wants me to collaborate on an article about the similarities between the study of the sky and the study of the caves.  
\- That sounds amazing. – She replied.  
\- I’ll have to work with Matsumoto-san, of course. In close proximity. To exchange views and to reach common ground.  
Asami let out a snort.  
\- Close proximity is too tempting, right? – She ribbed him.  
Sho hadn’t told her about his spring adventure in Yakushima nor had mentioned to her the existence of Jun-kun. In fact, he hadn’t mentioned him to anyone. As if doing it would make disappear the magic of what he lived and felt. The magic was gone, he suddenly realised, the moment Jun-kun came back and had forgotten.  
\- What did you tell the director?- Asami asked.  
\- I don’t know. I don’t think I’m going to do it.  
She got angry and pointed a finger at him.  
\- Why? Because the hottie turned you down? You love research. This is for you.  
She smiled afterwards.  
\- You can always talk about aliens and the little green creatures living under the ground.  
Sho smiled too. He recalled his formed lover, oceanographer Ohno Satoshi-san, and their long conversations about UFOs and extratetrestrial life. He, then, assured her he was going to sleep on it and call the director the next day.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hitori-san hung the phone in his office and looked at the young man in front of him.  
\- He has agreed. We’ll have a meeting tomorrow to discuss the peculiarities and direction this work of research is going to take.  
The young man smiled.  
\- Did you mention the cave in Yakushima?  
Hitori-san shook his head.  
\- That’s your job, Matsumoto-san. I’ll arrange the trip if this is what you need.  
Jun directed his sight outside the window to a clear, blue sky.  
\- Yakushima is the perfect place. I was born and lived there until my teenage years. It has locations suitable for stargazing and even an small telescope my father bought.  
Hitori-san nodded enthusiastically.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………......................................

Sho found himself crying in bed that night. For no reason. Or any reason he knew. He hadn’t even cried when he broke up with Satoshi. An indescribable sadness had taken over him since the day of the presentation party. Nothing made sense all of a sudden, He kept repeating that the past was the past and it was gone. But as an astronomer, he knew time was just an illusion. He was just a kid then, they were only kids. Orion was just a constellation and a myth.  
He closed his eyes trying to sleep, only to see that crooked smile and big eyes telling him “I’ll be Orion.”

Sho woke up, drank all the coffee he could find in his apartment and took a showe. He wanted to have a clear mind for the meeting. His ruminations had led him to dream about a constellation inside a cave. He often dreamt about stars, planets, galaxies and aliens landing on Earth, but this time it was different, it felt real.

......................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Sho woke up, drank all the coffee he could find in his apartment and took a showe. He wanted to have a clear mind for the meeting. His ruminations had led him to dream about a constellation inside a cave. He often dreamt about stars, planets, galaxies and aliens landing on Earth, but this time it was different, it felt real.  
He looked at himself in the mirror. Black shirt, black jeans, white sneakers and his usual old coat. He searched in its pocket and took the worn piece of paper out. He looked at it and shook his head. He ripped it, the waves and stars splited in tiny pieces. It had been his charm, but it was time to move forward. He kept it in his fist until he reached the walkway by the bay near his apartment. Then, he released it over the ocean. A gust of wind elevated the pieces of the old drawing to the sky. Sho smiled at the appropriateness of it.  
The magazine headquarters weren’t far from where he lived so he decided to walk. That helped him to collect his thoughts and calm himself.

Stoic astronomer Sakurai Sho thought he was prepared when he entered the meeting room. But the vision of a tousled haired, perfect smiled Matsumoto Jun took his breath away. Years had only made him more beautiful. He could evidence it at the party, but the daylight gave him another perspective. He looked less like a celebrity and more like a magical creature.  
He greeted him and Hitori-san and sat at the table clumsily.   
The director spoke while both of them nodded. Sho wasn’t sure what he was nodding at. And then, Jun spoke:  
\- In some way, stalagmites formations can be comparable to stars formations. You can correct me if I’m wrong, Sakurai-san, but in my understanding, the material is the same.  
Sho looked at him and pondered his answer:  
\- We’re all made of stars, my friend.  
The snicker from the director made him realise how improper his reply was.  
He tried to apologise, but Jun assured him it was fine and that he understood what he meant.  
Then he spoke again:  
\- I’ve been thinking we should make a litle trip to Yakushima. There’s an interesting cave there named the Orion Cave because of one particular formation reflection.  
Sho recalled his dream and started to sweat.  
\- There’s always a pool of water on the ground of this part of the cave. When there’s light, the reflection on the water is that of the Orion constellation.  
Sho had his mouth open and could not close it.  
\- That cave is a start point for our research together- - Jun added.  
“Time is an illusion” repeated Sho in his head. “Did I enter a wormhole and now I’m back to that place and time?”. “Orion is here.”  
Then, Sho started to laugh. Joy replacing the sadness that had took over him before. Both men looked at him confused, but Sho didn’t care. It all made sense now. He’d had to win Orion’s heart, even if Orion didn’t know he was Oeion.  
\- It’s a deal. – He finally said.  
The three men shook hands and proceeded with the preparations. During a few seconds, Sho noticed Jun was staring at him with a certain fondness, he got brave and winked at the speleleologist while internally saying: “I’m back, Jun-kun. I promised and I’m back.”.


	6. Chapter 6

They travelled to Yakushima by Shinkansen to Kagoshima and then a ferry there. They worked on other ariicles during the trip or conversed about mundane things mainly with the photographer who accompained them.   
\- I was in New York during the New Year holiday. – Matsumoto-san told them during the taxi ride to the hotel. It was the same hotel where Sho and his parents had stayed that spring break, the same hotel for which Jun-kun’s father used to work. Sho had his eyes closed because the memories were getting painful, but Jun’s voice got him alert.  
\- I love New York, I lived there for a while in my early tweenties. I studied geology and I was planning to stay there but plans changed.  
Sho listened to the questions and Jun’s answers about his English and his learning process to gather information of what had happened to him since he left him crying in that garden when they were just kids.

When they arrived to the place, none other than Matsumoto-san welcomed them. He was still a tall, menacing-looking man, but his hair had gotten grey and the passing of the years was reflected on his face. He hugged his son and greeted Sakurai-san. Sho mentioned his spring holiday many years ago and Matsumoto-san smiled.  
\- So the little astronomer became a big astronomer. – He said.  
Sho nodded, relief taking over him, and looked at Jun.  
\- He was one of the kids you used to play with. Funny thing that you have met each other again. – Continued Matsumoto-san.  
Jun stared at Sho, but his eyes were unreadable. The young speleologist shrugged and said:  
\- I used to play with a lot of kids here, dad.   
Sho’ soul shattered in tiny pieces, like a big stalactite falling to the ground and breaking.

Matsumoto-san accompained them to their respective rooms. During dinner, Sho learnt that Jun’s mother had passed away from illness a few years ago and that his father had moved from their old house to a smaller one by the forest.   
\- We went to explore the forest that spring. – Sho told him with the faint hope that Jun would remember. But the other scientist simply nodded and continued eating.  
Sho was starting to think the trip was a bad idea, but he had promised himself he was going to bring Orion back to life.

They had to wake up early in the morning for the busy day ahead so they decided to go to rest. Sho went for a stroll first. The hotel hadn’t changed much, it had incorporated the new technologies and more comodities, but it had the same atmosphere that he recalled. Sho walked outside. The ocean still could be seen from there, the light pollution was blurring the stars in the sky but it wasn’t as bad as in the big cities. He looked around and saw the lanterns in the distance, he knew instantly that was the garden so he ran towards it as if expecting to find the boy still in there, waiting for him.  
Sho kneeled in front of one of the lanterns.  
\- I’m here, Jun-kun, forgive me for being late. – He whispered to the night.  
A few metres away, Jun-kun was watching him with a hand on his chest while biting his lower lip to not cry. He had followed him silently to the garden, he wanted to observe his reaction, but he didn’t expect that. Was he being cruel?   
\- I love you, Sho-chan, I love you so much. You’ll understand soon. – Jun whispered to the night sky before turning around and walking back to the hotel.

Sho could see dawn from the window of his hotel room. The rays of the sun reaching over the ocean and colouring the sky pink, yellow and orange. He was rested and ready. He went down for breakfast. Once there, he checked his phone while drinking coffee: some messages form the director and the photographer. He snorted at one message from Asami inquiring if he had slept alone or with the hottie. He proceeded to type a reply when a voice interrupted him.  
\- Ohayou gozaimasu.   
Sho looked up from the phone to see Jun had showered and had combed his wet hair backwards, exposing those beautiful big eyes to the whole world. Sho tried to catch his breath again and greet him, but he only managed to mumble.  
\- My father has gotten us one of the office rooms of this place for our preparation meetings. He will also lend us the telescope to observe the sky tonight.  
Sho nodded.  
\- The photographer is scouting outside and taking some pictures for the magazine.  
Sho nodded again.  
Jun asked for natural juice to the waiter and went to talk to some hotel staff he knew. Sho watched him mesmerised. When he returned to Sho’s table, the astronomer suddenly said:  
\- When I told you Orion was my favourite because he was the son of the god of the sea, you answered that you liked the sea.  
Jun flinched but managed to hide it.  
\- How many kids had this same conversation with you? – He continued. Sho knew he was being completely irrational, but he couldn’t help himself.  
\- I don’t know what you’re talking about. – Was Jun cold reply.  
Sho sighed loudly:  
\- Never mind.  
He got up and followed Jun to the designated meeting room. Research would help him to forget about that spring adventure from 25 years ago.


	7. Chapter 7

Jus was afraid of the night, of that night in particular. They had agreed to carry the telescope up the hill to do some observations and take notes. That meant Sho and him would be alone under the stars. He had been up there alone many times when he was a teenager. He had looked up at the sky and hoped Sho would appear out of nowhere and sit by his side. But it never happened, he remained alone on the hill for years. Now he was sitting in his hotel room ready to take a bath before dinner. They had done plenty of work during the day: structuring, mapping, exchanging points of view. They hadn’t even had time to eat nor talk about the past. But their eyes had met across the table a few times, both of them sustaining the gaze more than necessary.

After worrying a bit too much, he finally submerged himself in the tub filled with hot water and called room service afterwards.

It was cold when Jun went outside. He was wearing a long, brown, fuzzy coat and gloves. He looked more like an idol than a scientist. Sho came to the gate half an hour later. He was dressed all in black wool. He mentioned the weather and assured him the clear night sky in winter was better for observations.  
\- Summers are too humid. – He added.  
Hotel sfaff was putting the telescope in the van that would take them to the top of the hill. They had agreed to stay for a couple of hours and then, another driver, would bring them back to the hotel. It was a short ride so it wouldn’t take a lot of time.

Once there, the staff helped them to set the camp and left. Sho had brought a thermos flask with hot coffee so he offered some to Jun.  
\- What are we going to see tonight, then? – Jun asked.  
Sho positioned the telescope in the right direction and gestured for Jun to look through it. The speleologist gasped.  
\- That’s Rigel, the brightest star in the constellation of Orion.  
Jun stared at Sho in wonder. The astronomer could see under the light of the small lamp they had brought how Jun’s eyes containded the same amazement of that 10 year old kid he once was.  
\- There’s a huge stalagmite in the cave that can be comparable to Rigel- - An excited Jun-kun explained.  
Sho nodded and continued talking. He forgot he was a scientist and he was there to work.  
\- The heart of Orion is Bellatrix, I’ll point you to it. And then there’s the nebula. That’s his soul. Bright, colourful. But it only can be seen by some chosen ones.  
Sho smiled. Jun frowned. Sho moved the telescope again and indicated to Jun where to watch. The younger man cheered and applauded.  
\- That’s incredible! The reds and the blues and the orange points!  
Sho’s gaze was wandering over that shiny black hair. He moved the lamp away from them and he swore the constellation was being reflected on those onyx locks.  
\- When I was a kid, I hated sunrises. – Sho said suddenly.  
Jun put his attention back to Sho.  
\- Because the sun brought the daylight and the nebulae, galaxies and constellations disappeared.  
The younger man nodded.  
\- Me too.  
He realised what he had just said and tried to change the subject by picking his tablet and starting to type.  
\- Why? – Sho asked. He wasn’t going to let it go.  
\- We are getting distracted, Sakurai-san, we have work to do. – Jun’s reply infuriated him.  
\- Why did you hate the sunrise?- Sho repeated. His voice sounded like a growl.  
A deep silence covered them, not even the cicadas could be heard.  
\- Look at me and tell me why. – Sho was starting to lose his hold on himself.  
\- I don’t know. I was just a kid. – Jun answered nervously while typing frantically on the tablet.  
\- You drawed this for me. – Sho pointed at the sky. – You drawed a constellation over the sea and gave it to me as a present. I kept it with me all this time. But I ripped it off the other day. Because it was stupid. We were just kids.  
Jun started to shake. Those words hit him hard, although he was trying to seem unaffected.  
After that outburst, Sho grabbed his iPad and typed his own notes. The silence around them continued, only broken by Jun sniffling back tears.  
At the appointed time, the van came to pick them up. During the ride back, they talked a bit about what they had written and agreed to discuss it further in the morning in the meeting room.

Sho finished the rest of the coffee from the thermos back in his room. He wasn’t sleepy, he was angry, sad. He only wanted to hurt Jun the same way Jun was hurting him. He was about to get undressed when there was a knock on the door. Sho opened it. Jun was standing outside still in his winter clothes.  
\- Do you want to know why I hated the sunrise? – He said. He looked in pain and Sho felt disgusted with himself.  
Sho gestured for him to come inside his room but Jun shook his head and continued talking:  
\- The sunrise meant the next day. All the kids that came here and became my friends left the next day to never return.  
Sho let out a moan.  
\- I’m so sorry, Jun-kun…..  
The younger man put his finger in front of his mouth to shut him up.  
\- I liked to observe the night sky and wait for that who taught me about it. But the sun rose every morning and he didn’t come back. I often wondered if he even was real.  
Sho opened his mouth and whimpered. He attempted to hold Jun’s hand but the speleologist had turned around quickly and disappeared.  
It was 3 in the morning, Sho was in the corridor of a small hotel he had been in a long time ago. Sho was lost. Sho was totally unable to do anything from that moment on. That collaboration was a failure even before it had started. He had screwed everything up. He went inside his room and closed the door. He paced around it like a caged animal. He needed to comfort Jun, he needed Jun, he loved Jun. What a disaster.

The sunrise caught Jun on the beach, seated on a rock, facing the small bay the ocean had bitten in the island. The sky was an orange fire from which a yellow ball emerged. Its warm fingers touched his cold cheeks and made him smile shyly.  
\- Beautiful morning. – He whispered.  
He hadn’t slept a wink and he had wotk to do. His heart was heavy and his eyes were swollen. Sho-chan had kept his drawing all this time but he had ripped it off. Why were they being so cruel to each other? The sun was welcoming and kind. Why was he fearing the next day when it was bringing him a new hope?  
He got up and walked back to the hotel. He had to collect his notes before breakfast and then they had a meeting to plan the visit to the cave.


	8. Chapter 8

Jun had an idea. He rushed to his hotel room, took a shower, changed clothes and left the hotel to go to his father’s house. Matsumoto-san was already up, made breakfast for his son and they talked and remembered about the past and Jun’s mother. Before leaving, Jun entered the room that had been his from childhood to teenage years. He searched in his old illustrations books and finally found what he was looking for. He had kept it as a treasure all those years. Jun put it in his bag, said good bye to his father and went back to the hotel. It was time fot the meeting.

When Jun walked in, Sho was already at the meeting room table, writing on his laptop, looking all professional. The speleologist mumbled an ‘ohayou gozaimasu’ and sat on a chair far from the astronomer. Sho gathered courage and spoke:  
\- I’m really sorry about last night.  
Jun glanced at him.  
\- I’m not. – He replied. – I meant everything I said.  
Sho felt despair.  
\- You can’t hate me for something I had no control over. I was twelve.  
Jun didn’t reply back, he lowered his gaze to his notes on the table and adopted a professional stance.  
When the photographer arrived, they started the proper work and the planning for next day.

They took a lunch break. They went to a nearby restaurant for a quick meal then back to the hotel to continue with work. Jun and Sho only spoke about the article for the magazine and avoided eye contact.  
It was later in the afternoon when they agreed to call it a day. Everything was already prepared for the excursion to the cave. Sho waited for Jun to collect his things and left when he did. He asked him to dine with him, Jun refused but told him he wanted to meet him at the garden. They needed to talk.

At the scheduled time, Sho walked to the garden. The night was upon him, spreading its magic on the sky. Sho couldn’t help looking up to obverse the half moon and Venus close to it. The lanterns where already lit when he stepped into the garden. It all felt so familiar.  
Jun arrived a couple of minutes later. The vision under the light of the lanterns was breathtaking. Those big eyes shimmered and the black hair was painted as the night sky. Sho opened his mouth to speak, but was muted when Jun put something in front of his eyes: a paper sheet filled with colourful spheres by a dark background, a rudimentary solar system drawn by two young boys many years ago.  
\- I asked you to keep it and you gave it to me. I have kept it all this time because it was my connection to you. – Jun told him.  
Sho sat down on one of the benches, he felt defeated.  
\- I waited year after year for you to come back, but it never happened. You had promised. Then, I went away, to New York to study, hoping I could forget that spring, but I couldn’t.  
Sho shook his head.  
Jun squatted in front of him, the reverse of what had happened those years ago in that same spot.  
\- I was really planning to stay in New York city. But then one day, one of my roommates in the campus was reading an Astrophysics magazine and there you were: the promising future of astronomy. I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw your picture and read the interview. That boy I had met was now a famous astronomer as he had dreamt – Jun paused - And a gorgeous man. I knew I had to go back to Japan. I knew I had to find you.  
\- Jun- kun – Sho whispered. He raised his hand to touch that hair but Jun grabbed it and pulled them both up.  
Sho wanted to touch those full lips with his own lips, he wanted to claim Orion as his, but Jun moved away from him while shaking his head.  
\- Not today. Tomorrow is another day.  
Sho flinched, he was scared, but Jun smiled at him and took him by the hand to guide him outside of the garden.

They strolled together to the beach, not minding the cold of the night. When they reached a certain place on the sand. Jun pointed at a stars formation in the sky. Sho couldn’t take his eyes of Jun’s face. Everything had suddenly turned into a dream and Sho didn’t want to wake up. The soft music of the waves washing over the shore, the clear night with all the constellations on show, Jun’s beautiful features and those long eyelashes fluttering.  
\- Here’s Orion – Jun was going over the light spots in the sky with his finger.  
\- Indeed he is. – Sho whispered.


	9. Chapter 9

The more they went down, the darker and colder it got. Jun felt at home inside the guts of the Earth and was encouraging them during the descent. Sho, the photgrapher and a local guide were following him step by step down the natural stairs that were formed on the rocks. Sho was gripping the rope tightly. It was the first time he had penetrated a cave this way and was scared and thrilled at the same time. When he looked at Jun smiling at them enthusiastically he saw that boy he had loved so much and the man he was going to love much more from now on. He could not wait to have him in his arms and tell him all he was feeling.  
\- Focus, Sakurai-san, focus! – Jun exclaimed while giggling.  
They finally reached the bottom and walked carefully on slippery ground. The clothes they were wearing kept them protected from the chill, but Sho could feel his face freezing.  
\- Who said the insides of the Earth were made of fire? – He asked.  
\- Like in some men's hearts, coldness prevails. But when you dig deeper, scorching heat is found. – Jun pointed the flashlight he was carrying in his direction. Sho saw Jun’s eyes full of something he wanted to own. Nothing was going to stop him.

They arrived to a spacious hall, small cracks in the rocks allowed some light to enter, like thin threads of luminous white. For some reason, Sho was reminded of Christmas decorations. When Jun pointed his flashlight upwards, all of them awed in surprise. A huge stalactites formation was threatening them from above. Tiny shiny spots sparkling with the illumination. Sho smiled broadly and looked at Jun. The speleologist was enthralled.  
\- It’s been such a long time since I last visited this. – He said.  
The photographer got his tools ready and started to take pictures from various angles.  
\- We have to wait for the right time. – Jun told them after checking his watch. – When the sources of solar light reach the stalactites, on the pool of water below, Orion constellation will be reflected. It’s not supernatural, it’s one of the wonders of nature.  
The guide offered them hot coffee from the thermos while they waited. Sho was feeling like a child before his first Tanabata. He stepped closer to Jun. He wanted to feel him near when the magic happened.  
When the thin rays of light touched the hanging ice formations, they could see on the pool at their feet spots on the surface, like small stars. As the spots grew, the water started to resemble the sky at night. Effectively, Orion constellation was painted over it as if an invisible wizard was casting a spell. They remained silent, not even able to breath as they didn’t want to disrupt the enchantment. The photographer took pictures swiftly. Sho couldn’t believe his eyes. He was a scientist, how was he going to explain that? It was going to be an interesting article indeed.  
\- I can see Betelgeuse, Rigel and Bellatrix. It’s amazing. - The astronomer whispered.  
He was so spellbound by the vision that he didn’t realise Jun had stepped even closer, arm to arm, and that he wrapped his hand around Sho’s. When he noticed Jun entwining his fingers with the astronomer’s, Sho reacted. His heart started to beat faster and faster to the point he was afraid the other men would be able to hear it. He squeezed Jun’s hand and sighed. He glanced upwards and saw the same spotlights all over Jun’s black hair.  
\- The boy with the stars on his hair. – He said out loud. – My Orion – Sho, then, lowered his voice.  
The other two men were so engrossed in his work that they didn’t pay attention.

When they finished exploring the cave, taking more pictures and notes, they got back up and to the hotel. They had a couple of more days to discuss the article and write it before they had to return to Tokyo.  
That evening, Jun accepted Sho’s invitation to dinner. Before that, they ventured into the Yakushima forest like they had done years ago. They had time until the sun set. Sho smiled remembering how he had named every plant and every tree and proceeded again. Jun looked at him warmly.  
\- If we get lost, we can stay here together forever. – Jun repeated the same words little Sho had said that last day.  
\- I want to stay with you forever, Jun-kun.   
Jun chuckled.  
\- We’re going to collaborate together more, judging by the intenions of the magazine director.  
\- Live with me. – Sho blurted out. – I lost you once, I don’t want to lose you again.  
Jun loughed out loud.   
\- You’ve found me, Sho-chan. – He said.   
Jun, then, approached him, mouthed an ‘I love you’ and kissed him on the lips. Sho wrapped his arms around him and deepened the kiss. He wasn’t going to let him go: the son of the god of the sea was going to remain by his side for eternety. 

They dined together, visited Jun’s childhood house, conversed with Matsumoto-san until late at night and ended up sleeping together in Jun’s hotel room.  
In the morning, while the speleologist was taking a shower, Sho messaged Asami: “I did it with him.” To which she replied: “Why are you talking like a high schooler? Anyways, about time.”   
Sho laughed and stirred in bed. He closed his eyes and inhaled Jun’ scent on the sheets. Suddenly, he had an idea. He got up of bed and called Hitori-san. He apologised to the director for bothering him that early, then explained his idea, the other man agreed and Sho cheered out loud.  
During breakfast, Sho inquired:  
\- Do you still have that solar system drawing with you or did you left it at you father’s again?.  
Jun looked at him and positioned his glasses well over his nose.  
\- I do. Why?  
\- We’ll include it in the article. It’s what has kept us connected all this time. It’s our first collaboration.  
The speleologist frowned, then smiled.  
\- Scientists are weird after all. – Sho added.

The trip back to Tokyo wasn’t awkward and dull this time. It was joyful, entertaining. They reminisced a lot of events from their childhood and youth, including that special spring. Before leaving, they had promised Matsumoto-san they would visit once a year. They also promised the same to the garden, the forest and Orion over the sea. Yakushima was the place where thay had met and the place that had united them. It was their power spot.

The first prints of the magazine were presented to the two scientists in the magazine office building. Jun chuckled at the title of the article.  
\- The Cave with the Stars on its Soil. - Sho read it out loud proudly.  
\- This is why you’ll never be a literature writer, Sakurai. – Jun joked.  
They took a look at it: the pictures were spectacular and quite conclusive, the text was rigorous and pleasant at the same time. Jun got teary eyed when he saw his drawing featured on one of the pages and the short paragraph he had written as an explanation. They were moving together to a bigger apartment with views to the bay and he was going to frame the drawing and hang it on one of the walls. It was the totem of their love.

Sho and Jun celebrated a party for his friends in their new apartment. Asami and her husband were amongst the guests. She couldn’t stop staring at Matsumoto Jun and telling Sho how lucky he was to have gotten himself such an specimen. Sho smiled and agreed he was indeed very lucky.  
When the guests had left it was past midnight. Jun was drinking a glass of champagne in the balcony of their apartment. A full moon and a intense Venus were visble in the black sky of the city. The ocean beneath it a compact, dark mass. So diffetent of the softness of the sea in Yakushima.  
\- What a pity we can’t see anything from here. – He told Sho when he stepped in the balcony carrying another glass of champagne. – We know it’s there, it’s alwasys there, but our stupid modernity doesn’t allow us to even take a glimpse.  
Sho sighed.  
\- This is what the Observatory is for. You’ll be received there with open arms.  
They both laughed and kept observing the moon with Venus by its side.


End file.
